digital learning

EdTech

Washington State Falls Behind In EdReform

Getting Smart Staff

The Seattle Times reported this week that the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that the Legislature hasn't met constitutional obligations to pay for basic education in a lawsuit led by districts, educators, parents, and community groups against the state this week. Lawmakers, who convene this week, are expected to fully implement edreforms by 2018.
EdTech

Q&A: The Educational World Is Flat

Guest Author

Tom Vander Ark is an educational innovator who thinks like an engineer. He is currently the CEO of Open Educational Solutions, a partner in Learn Capital, and director of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning. Previously he served as President of the X PRIZE Foundation and was the Executive Director of Education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He is a prolific writer and speaker, and in 2006 Newsweek readers voted Tom the most influential baby boomer in education.

EdTech

The Alliance Addresses New Digital Learning Imperatives In K12

Getting Smart Staff

This month, the former Governor Bob Wise's Alliance for Excellent Education (Alliance) released "The Digital Imperative: How Technology and Teaching Meet Today's Education Challenges," a report showcasing the ways technology can better prepare students for college and career as an update to its report nearly two years ago.
Personalized Learning

Pros & Cons: Is Elementary Too Early for 1:1 Technology?

Guest Author

The merits of 1:1 technology in education are so impressive that one question might be raised: How young is too young for students to benefit from 1:1 classroom technology? Specifically, are elementary students too young to have one computing device per child available to them at all times?

EdTech

10 Tips for Kindle in the Classroom

Guest Author

I have been using a Kindle eReader for some time now and really enjoy the convenience and ease of use of these dedicated devices. When I travel to schools, I see more and more schools pilot eReaders in the classroom, especially for students who struggle or who are unmotivated to read. For many students who struggle in reading many are now more inspired to read books on an eReader device as compared to a traditional book. Here are 10 tips for using Kindles in the classroom that I know you will find helpful.

Personalized Learning

Education Evolving: Five Predictions for Higher Education—2012

Guest Author

An adult with a bachelor’s degree will earn about one third more over a lifetime than someone who doesn’t complete college. And today’s employers are increasingly requiring degrees as a prerequisite for high-skill jobs. To remain employable and guarantee financial security during extended careers and into retirement, millions more Americans must commit to obtaining a higher education.

Personalized Learning

The Largest Myth About Educational User Experiences Today

Guest Author

The largest myth about educational user experiences today is that great user experience is about visual design and graphics. If we make it pretty and easy to navigate, we have created a good user experience, right? In reality, visual design is the icing on the cake. If we don’t put the right ingredients into our user experiences, visuals and graphics will do little good.
Personalized Learning

How EdTech Will Benefit Low Income Students

Tom Vander Ark

Digital learning won’t necessarily close the achievement gap between income groups, but it will lift the floor. More students will be more academically successful. Five years from now, a higher percentage of students will soon graduate from high school ready for college and careers. Most will have benefited from Common Core expectations. Some will have benefited from Race to the Top funded programs. Many will have benefited from these 10 reasons that digital learning will benefit low income students.